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Nesting

Nesting
Pastel, 9" x 12"
30 May 2010

"The Gulf of Mexico is a globally unique ecosystem, with a diversity of habitats, fish and wildlife that make it one of the nation’s great natural treasures. Gulf habitats are essential to the annual cycles of many species of breeding, wintering and migrating waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and songbirds.

The U.S. Gulf Coast is of particular significance to beach-nesting birds, species that breed on beaches, flats, dunes, bars, barrier islands and similar near-shore habitats. The northern Gulf Coast, from the Mississippi Delta of Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle which represents 18 percent of the southeastern U.S. coastline, supports a disproportionately high number of beach nesting bird species." —U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Yes, another pastel. I'm getting hooked. In conversation with an old friend from art school, I learned something very instructive.

Eleanor had spent a full week on a pastel portrait in one of Daniel Greene's workshops. At the end of the week, she could not see where or how to make one more stroke and thought the piece was complete. Greene took a look at her work, said she'd done well and that she now had a very good beginning.

Her little story helped me get a grip on how long it might take me to develop a pastel. Suddenly I found that I was much more relaxed about the process. I spent days on this piece and used some Sennellier soft pastels which gave me an idea of what it will be like to work with the best materials. I found myself looking through catalogues at box sets of Sennellier pastels. Uh-oh. ____________________________________________Enjoy this post? Please subscribe right now!

Now I know why I don't do pastels! This is lovely Suzanne and so different from your gorgeous watercolours! Fingers crossed that the wildlife won't be decimated from that dreadful oil leakage in your part of the world.